Knitting machine attachment



Feb. 6, 1945, R. H. sPERzEL KNITTING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed July l5,1945 V ATTORN EYS Patented Feb. 6, 1945 KNr'r'nNG afrTAcmuEN'rn l.Robert H. spel-zel, New Haven,'cn.,assignort The Whitney Blake Company,Hamden, C onn., a corporation of Connecticut. j

.Application Julyis, 1943, serial 10.494330Y 1s claims. (cies-166) Thisinvention relates to machines for knitting covers on electric wires andcables,'and more para ticularly to means for preventing the making of afaultily covered product.

In the coveringv of electric wires by knitting, it sometimes occursvthat although the threads do not break, the knitting operation'becomesfaulty so that the covering, instead of being neat and tight, is looseand has loops of thread extending' from the covering.

Heretofore, attempts have been made to dete when the knitting machine'was' not properly functioning to provide the desired covering, butlthese for one reason or another .have not ybeen satisfactory inoperation and use.

'Ihe problem has been solved. however',y by they to detect the breakingof threads) is operated by a feeler which is held in the path of theadvanc- 1 ing covered wire and which hasa barb or fang positioned tocatch any looped threads which pro` ject from the knitted cover as aresult of a stitch being lost or the covering otherwise being looselyknitted. l

According to the present invention, the feeler is yieldingly urgedtoward the advancing -covered wire. and its barb or fang is positionedslightly back of its outer or guiding edge so that the cle-` y tectorwill operate on wires of diierent diameters and regardless of changesinthe diameter of the wire, and will not shut oi Vthe machine unlessloops from a loose part of the covering catch onto the barb.

Further, according tothe present invention, the

feeler is so mounted and controlled that when'a' loop is caught on thebarb, the feeler iscarriedupwardly in the direction of travel of theWire and then suddenly -moves upwardly and away from the wire and atthe'same time causes the circuit to the machine stopping mechanism to beclosed. The provision of the feeler so that it will move in thedirection of the wire and then in ad-v vance of the wire and away fromit avoids, the danger of the covering being ripped and the threadsbroken by reason of the barbs engaging the loops of the threads.

lation of the feeler?, receding'movement ofy the'ifeeler, and at timecauses the vcircuit torbe-closed. z

The'device of 'thepre'sent inventionym made asv an attachment toexisting. machinesiny -completes f the V vwhich case, as shown,theyfeeler-and switch-are,

l' and then upwardly through the guide Ixancl the In the form of theinvention herein illustrated l are made in one piece and the snap actionmo'vements of the feeler and switch are controlled by a spring which isplaced under tension during the iirst part of the movement of the feelerand which, upon moving across the center\ .of oscil- 65 Dened that dueto some trouble other-'than the mounted on a. block suitably supportedonla part of the machine so that the .endot thehfe ler i is in positiontdengage `the advancing wi en' closed by a covering ofkiiitted.fabridVvOther features nd-'ffadvantagcs Wi1lherein after appear. Y if In theaccompanying drawing whic one form Tof this'inventlone" .Figure '1 isari elevatiom'v partly in "section, knitting-'machine showingthepresentiventio attached theret'ol i f Fig.'2 isha plan vievv'o'f'the``attachinent.v f-fth f presentinvention. -1 `r; ,7- Fig'; 3- Iis a''side 'view`,partly insectionfofcthex attachment of they present'inventlonshowinggthei feelerlevr in operated-position fand showingfitsrelation to the guide tubeofl the knittinggfma-. chine.' 1,' y Q Y.,fria; 41s a verticaigsecuon taken fon newline 4 4 of Fig. 3*l i Asshownv in-y theaccompanyinghdrawing, thef knitting machine 'comprises va-mainl framernem` ber vI Il havingasuitable bracketli anda. memberVI21`which Hcarries'gi'ihe yarn guides- I3.- The elecff tric wire orcable onto which` a coverpis knitted is guided upwardly through a,guideztube I (another guide I5 spaced from the guide'tube I4, andfinally'passes upwardly and outr vof,the machine through a guide tube'land overa guide I1 to a reel- (not shown)A upon which it is wound. Theknitted covering which is made lby the'operations ofjthe needles I 3a inthe llsllaly manner passes` thru the space I8betvl/'eenfthe guide tubeI4 and the guide I5 aroundithe wire guidetubelj y g 'Suitable detectorsI9 Aare provided with vmeans overwhich the threads tobe knitted .pass Sothat in case a thread should break a switch is operated to closeacircuitincluding thel wire 2li `whiclris, connected to stophmechanismi'or the machine in `the well known jm'annerl so `that the knittingmechanism will vl,automatically 'stop and thereby signaltheattendantfwho can. repair the break and start thefmachine-operatingagain.'`

In the operation of vthese knitting machines, one attendant oroperatorusually takes care of a', fairly largenumber of machines, and it hashapein ima-reign lice. @Waterlinie difieultv mdiafelr dette, e, and;indieningto', the. f l @1i-"the: @over is. improperly knitted; Y

whichfislmcuntd;Onasuitahleblock. chedfb anvsuitablemeanaas bv atenuarsu al, post.; 24; forming part ofthe 1 inaTherestlitcnsttutes"thesnvportfor tiieeuide Us Aethua mede. the.devieefofi the ersten-t eveneensea'beifmishdesenattechf t te,rxistne-1141.ach.mesi@mit itshoule be unld' Stgo thatinterresantinventionmax beiapf menv-diflerentweys-tethemachinesisalieuiltedrchthe block-2:2:

' 2. soa toiextendintosthe-V shaped it and hasevfshapednotchMatas4maar.. yatspring 28 anchoredat 253011,-,

\. i nrtie'g an ot the 1er/t! is., positipn @engage l the, ableQ'indicateddn dotted, lines. in,y Fig. 1. tu

llis;yieldiiifgly.y urged against the cable-A sp *Y y '2x81 theslotl Jinthef lever permit. 1i nece sarylongitudinal: reellementlof the permise@S0.. 10na;as the.0vering .is... properly, formed and.- tight.; o5

` y moutandcause.theifeeler" t@ rapiglamevedjzunwardlv.Yandaway frein-1' advancingwirey sc asntoU disengage `the loop-` 7c.n 1 an. preventthe` covering@ from beine, rimedi lsition undergf-the, influence of 1the spring 28g (see -fthe.ascendingcable. 4.0 f

"Irf its nemer operating position., 4:,

aJ contact M ,which-A is connected by a wire 35 t0 thefwirelthroughoneof the posts of a detector device L9, thusV closing. the circuit to thestop mechanism for the machine and causing the machine., to;be'lstopped. The stopping of the may chine will indicate. to theoperator that something i s,wrong, 'andwhen theoperator inspects themachineand observes that the. `feelerv 2l has been raised, hewi1l beadvised that the'machine stoppedy because of a. fault in the knittedcover- Byl providing the snap spring 28, the switch portion of the.feeler is keptin engagement with. the contact 3 4; .even though the loopin the threadwhich caused the feeler to be operated broken.VA When theoperator has corrected the fautly: operation which resulted in thetripping ofthefvfeeler 2|, thefeeler is returnedby manualoperationHto-the1 position shown in Fig. 1 in which it remainaso long-asthe covering on the wire. is sufliciently-tight andclosevtov prevent theformationr 0I, 19ans- It-'shouldbenote thatgthe normal contactbetweenthewirecoverlng and the fseeler is at the rounded` nosey 30;and'that the bar -32 is set slightly behind its-v roundednos'e; Hence,there 'is noy danger of the "barb'32v getting into the loopsy of threadsofv a` properlyv knitted covering,A anditis only when projecting loopsor'faults are f ormedfthat the barb can. be engagedand caught onto.

event of an; improper operation of: the machine resulting intanimperfectly knitted covering, only 4thatportion ofithwirebetween the`feeler 2| and the` knitting needles need, be removed or discarded, forthe feeler will detect thejimproper eoveringbefore the'wire actuallyleaves the machine.

Thus, ai'substantialr saving. in material is ef fected by the presentinvention in additionto a saving-,of the production time of the machinewhichvwould otherwise-be 10st by the making of much faultycoveringunobserved by the oper.`v ator, andtime. saved in making repair to 'theC Ovel'ngf Variations and modifications may be made within theI scope ofthis invention and portions offtheimprovements may be used withoutothers. .I. c1aim: w 1', In, a machine for knitting a fabric covering-onelectric wires and Icables, mechanism for knitting. a covering about thewire; means for guiding'and advancing the covered wire axially and awayfrom'the'knitting mechanism; a circuit connected withumeansffor stoppingthe ma- 'chine; avndxnfieans:l including a slidable and pivotallymounted feeler in' thepath of the covered wireand actuatedl bybeingiencountered by a 'fault inthe coveringof theadvancing Wire tomove-longitudinally with the wire, and a switch connected'` in saidcircuit and operated by the movementy of said-feeler 'about the pivottherefor to'controlthecircuit and cause the mechanism to vstop'- whenthe lfeeler is actuated.

2. In; a machine for knitting a fabric covering`v on electric Wires andcables, mechanism for knitting axcovering. about the wire; means forguiding and advancing the covered wire axially and-away from the'.knitting mechanism; a circuit connectedwith means for stopping themachine; Iand-means including a slidable and pivotallymounted feeler inthe path of the covered wire.y and actuated by being-encountered by aWiththe use of the present invention, in the.

miic in .the covering of .the .advancing` wire l to wire and having itsnormal position `controlled thereby.

3. In a machine `for, applyin'gfa fabric "cover- -ingfto electric wires.and cables, mechanism -for forming :a .covering about :the wire; meansfor guidingiand .advancing the :covered wire axially and K away vtrom: 1the cover-forming mechanism; :a circuit yconnected with Imeans 'iforstopping the machine;4 `and f means includingl Aa vfeeler the traveling'longitudinally with 'the wirevupon be- :ing: yeiicounteredjfby Va fault:in the `co'veringfof the advancing wire and :moving away ffifom lthe iwire incident to such trave1,.:andf-a v*switch* con-4 nected ins'aidvcircuit andv 1operated inl response t'o the vmovement Aof l'said"feeler, .to control the 'circuit fand ca-use the'mechanism.gto-stop4when the feelerl is actuated. v f l.

v4. Infa: machine `for. applyingV a fabric'V covering fon electricwiresy andv cables; 'mechanism vvfor forming a fabric .covering abotthewirefmeans for fguiding :and-advancing thecovered wire-'away from" the'lcover-forming hfrnech'an'ism; a circuit f .connected withmeans-:forstopping the machine;

means .including a feeler in .the .path-ofthe `covered wire 'and-actuatedby'and .traveling vwith the wire-upon" being encountered bygafault in the' covering of the :advancing wire, andviaswitch connected insaid. circuity .and operated? :by zsaid' freeler "to'conti'oll the*.circuitand,l cause the "mechanism to stopf whenvthe feeler isactuatediand a :spring venergized by the lmovement ci the feelera`s"t"travelsfwith the wire Vandl adapted touauto- |matically movethe'feelerupwardly-'and away v"from the cable lwheny the feeler hastraveled a `prex'ieter'min'ed `amount. 4

5; Infa v-'machine'for valszplyin'gl 'a vfabric vcovering onv electricwires' andfcab'les, mechanism for forming a vcovering.about :the='wire;means for lguiding 4and advancing theV covered 1:wire away 'tromtlewcoverforming mechanism; a circuit connected with meansdorstdppingthe machine; means including affeel'er 1in` the path of the'covered'Ywire-and actuated by and 'traveling with 'the wire' -upon:being encountered by a fault in v the covering lof the advancingwire,and a switch 'connected :in `said circuit fand; operated by saidv4feeler'.tolcontroi'thecircuitandcause the vmechanism vto stopwhen1thefee'lerisA actuated; and a springyieldinglyurging ythe'ieeler towardthe wireand energizedtbylthe movement ofthe-feeler as it'travels'- withthe'wire-so as to automatically move the 'feele'r lupwardly and `awayfrom the wire whenI the @feeler hasftraveled a";predetei"- mined-amount.

tor-guiding andad'van'cingfthe covered=wire away from .the cover-formingmechanism: a Acircuit connected with means-forstoppingv the machine;

.the feelery upwardly and vaway `fromfthe wireV when the vfeeler hastraveled a predetermined f amount.y f

7. Inama'chinefor applying a covering to an electric wire `or cable,'mechanism 'for forming a covering about the ywire; means for guidingv.and :advancing the/covered wire axially and away `from thecover-formingmechanism; a movable feeler in thepath of the covered wireand actuated by being encountered ,by a. fault in the covering of'theadvancing wire` to move longitudinally with the wire; and a switchoperated `by said feelerto control acircuitand cause an alarm to vEhegiven when the `feeler is' actuated,

is path ofthe covered-wire*l and actuated by and 4 fadvances'Van'dreleasng .the erating ,theswitcn ysaid feeler moving with thevfault asf the'fwire fault' incidentI :to op- 8. Forl machines radaptedto form activering .about electric wires andcables and havingmeafns -forguidingan'dadvancing the covered 'wire away from thecover-'formingkmechanism and avCilQixit connected :with means for stopping themachine, an' attachment comprising apivoted'feeler yieldingly mounted toproject into the path of the covered wire-:and `movable by thecoveredwire uponencoun'tering a fault-in the `"covering ofr'theadvancing wire; yand a yswitch connectedin said circuit and operated bythe movement of isaid feeler to control the circuitand causethemechanism to stop whenthe feeler is actuated."l

9. In a machine forapplying a'covering'onan lelectric wire and cable,fmechanism for: forminga covering about-the wire; means for guiding'land *advancing the covered wire away from the covervforming mechanism;andfmeans including a feeler in the path of the coveredA wire'andactuated .by ybeing engaged Eby a fault in the covering of the Y becomesdisengaged from the feeler.

10. For machines v'adapt'ed'to apply a'cov'ering I about electric wiresand cables and having means -for guiding and advancing. thecovered wireaway from the covering-applying mechanism, an attachment comprising apivotally lmounted 'feeler in the fpathof the covered wire andactuated-by being encountered by a fault 'in the' covering of theadvancing wire, said feeler moving in the direction of lthe advancingvwire and away from the wire to release the fault to prevent damage tothe cover; and means operated incident to the lmovement of said feelerto indicate when the feeler is actuated.

l1. In a machine for applying a fibrous covering von Velectricwires andcables, mechanism for forming aibrous covering about the wire; meanslfor 'guiding and advancing the 'covered wire away from thecover-forming mechanism; a circuit connected with means for stopping themachine;

and` means including a feeler urged into engagegment with the coveredvwire .and having a barb Vmeans vincluding a feeler vin theV path ofthecovered wire vand actuated b'y and traveling 'with thewire'upon"beingenoountered'by a fault in'. "thecoveringfof theadyan'cing wire; anda switch connected 'in said circuit'and operated:by4 said "ieelerftolcontrolthe circuit-:and cause the rmechal nism` toistop1'whenthe vfeeler isy actuated; and g, mmf-action spring adapted. torapidlyVA move spaced fromthe wireadapte'd to catch onto faults vin thecovering of the advancing'wire and beY actuated thereby, and a switchconnected in said circuit 'and operated lby said feeler to control thecircuit and cause the mechanism to stop when 'the feeler is actuated.

12. In a machine Yor applying a fabric covering on electric wires andcables, mechanism for forming a covering about the wire; means forguiding and yadvancing the'covered wire away from the cover-formingmechanism; a circuit r connected with means'for-stopping the machine:

- and means including a feeler having a smooth surface yieldinglyurgedagainst lthe advancing wire and a barb spaced from said smooth surface iand adapted to catchorto projecting loops of thread caused by a fault inthe covering of the,

wire to. be actuated thereby, 'and a switch connected in said circuitrand operated by said feeler to control the circuit and cause themechanism to stop when the feeler is actuated.

13. For machines adapted to form a fabric covering about electric wiresand cables and having means for guiding and advancing the covered' wireaway from the cover-forming mechanism, an attachment comprising avfeeler having a smooth edge surface yieldingly urged against theadvancing wire, and a barb spaced from the smooth edge surface andadapted to catch onto projecting loops of thread caused by a fault inthe covering of thev wire to Ibe actuated thereby;

' and a switch operated :by said feeler to control a circuit andcause'an alarm to be given when the feeleris actuated. 1 f Y l l14. Adetector for a .wire or cable covering machine comprising a base adaptedto be mounted on the machine adjacent the covered wire; cover-Afaultdetectingmeans including a feeler having -a longitudinallyextendingv elongate aperture t therein; pivot means mountedon the baseand extending through the aperture to slidably Vand pivotally mount thefeeler thereon; and resilient means engaging the back of thefeeler toyieldingly slide the Aieeler toward and into the path of theadvancingcovered wire to be engaged rby faults in the cover thereon, theengagement of the faultsfmoving the feeler in the direction' of:

the advancing wire and about the pivot, said movement of the feelerenergizing the resilient f means to cause the feeler tosnap away fromthe wire after a lpredetermined movement of the feeler to release the.same from the fault and prevent damage to the wire.

15. A detector for a wire or ca-ble covering machine comprising a baseadapted to be mounted "on the machine adjacent the cable-covering means;cover-fault detecting means including a feeler having a longitudinally.extending elongate aperture therein; pivot means mounted von the baseand extending through the aperture ato slidably and pivotally mountthefeeler thereon; `resilient means engaging `the back of the feeler toyieldingly slide the feeler toward and in to the path of the advancingcovered wire to be engaged by faults in the cover thereon, theengagement of the faults moving the feeler in the direction of theadvancing wire and about the pivot, said f movement of the feelerenergizing the resilient means to vcause the feeler to snapv away vfromthe wire after a predetermined movement of the feeler to release thesame from the fault and prevent damage to the wire; .and'means operatedin response to the movementof the feeler for indicating the detection ofa fault in the cover.

16. A detector for a wire or cable covering ymachine comprising a baseadapted to be mounted on the machine adjacent the cable-covering means;cover-fault detecting means including a feeler having-alongitudinallywextendingelon- -gate aperture/therein; pivot-meansmountedcn the base andextending through the aperture to slidablyandpivotally mount'the feeler thereon;

resilient means engagingthe back of the n-feeler to yieldingly slidethe'. feeler toward vand into the path of the vadvancingcovered vkwireto beengaged by faults in the cover thereon, the engagement ofthe'faults moving thefeeler inthe directionof the advancing wire and,about the pivot, said movement of thefeeler energizing the resilientmeans to cause the feeler to snap away Yfrom the wire after apredetermined movement -of the feeler to vrelease the same from thefault feelerhaving a longitudinally extending elongate aperture therein;pivot means 'mounted on the base and extending through the aperture. toslidably and pivotally mount the `'feeler thereon; resilient meansengaging'the back of the feeler to yieldingly slide'the .feeler towardand into the A, path of the advancing covered wire'to be engaged byfaults in the cover thereon, the engagement of the faults moving thefeelerin the direction l ofthe advancing wirev and about the pivot,'said movement ofthe feeler energizing the resilient means lto cause thefeeler t'o snap away from the wire after a predetermined movement'of thefeeler to release the same from the fault and prevent damage to thewire; and switch means operated in response to the movement fof thefeeler for controlling a circuit, said resilient means ,holding theswitch means in operated position though the fault may be released bythe feeler.

18. vA detector for a wire or cable covering mat chine comprising asbase adapted to be mounted on the machine adjacent the covered wire;coverfault detecting means including a feeler having a longitudinallyextending elongate aperture therein; pivot meansfmountedon the'base andextending through the aperture to slidablyk and pivotally mount thefeeler thereon; and resilient means engaging the back 4of the feeler toyieldingly slide the feeler toward and into engagement with the wire,means on the feeler spaced from the wire-engaging part thereof andprojecting into the rpath of the advancing covered -wire to be engagedby faults in the cover thereon, the sliding movement of the feelerenabling the detector l to operate .on wires of different diameters, theengagement of the faults moving the feeler in the direction of the'advancing' wire and'about the pivot, said movement of the feelerenergizing the' resilient means to cause the feeler to snap away fromthe wire after a predetermined movement of the feeler to release thesame from ythe fault and prevent damage to they wire.

ROBERT H. SPERKZEL.

